Automobile lighting device



June 3 o. HJUNDERDORFEL 2,164,149

AUTOMOBILE LIGHTING DEVICE Filed May 10, 1937 INVENTOR, BY fiwd Mae/I2 1, Wd/W ATTORNEY.

Patented June 27,1939

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,164,149 I su'romom mcn'rmc nsvrcit Oscar H. Underdorfol, Holyoke, Mass.

Application May 10, 1931, Serial No. 141,817 40mm (01. 2404.18)

This invention relates to lighting equipment for automobiles and especially to equipment for illuminating the motor and other parts under the hood of the car.

It is one of the objects of the invention to pro-' vide such lighting equipment, to be operated from the storage battery of the car, so arranged that in case of trouble or a desire to inspect the oil, ignition or any other part of the mechanism unlighted highway it may be done mum of inconvenience.

10 after dark and while on some' country road or with the mini- More specifically it is one of the objects of the invention to provide equipment of the foregoing 18 character which shall be permanently mounted under the hood and which shall have means for automatically turning the light on when the hood is raised for inspecting the parts under the hood and which' shall be automatically turned on when the hood is againlowered.

It is "an object of the invention to provide a device for the foregoing purpose which shall comprise in a single unitary structure both the a there is other light that is adequate.

It is alsoian object of the invention to provide along withthe'foregoing hood light an extension light for illuminating partsoi the' mechanism not adequately lighted by means of the permanently installed hood light andfor illuminating parts of the car not under the hood such for example as one of the wheels during'the changing of a tire. j F

It is a still further object of the invention to 5 provide such an extension light of maximum simplicity in construction, which shall be as convenient as possible inguseand which shall have little likelihood of getting out of order. More specifically it is an object of the invention to'provide go-a one-conductor extension cord thereby simpli reference is made to the following description of expensive to manufacture, that shall have the greatest possible convenience in use and which shall have long life and.dependability.-

In order to explain the invention more clearly one embodiment thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a more or'less diagrammatic transverse section taken through the hood of an-automobile looking toward the rear of the car and shows both the hood light and extension;

Fig. 2' is a similar, greatly enlarged view of the hood light alone and shows the means whereby the switch may be held open while the hood is in its raised position; v

Fig. 3 shows to an enlarged scale and in sec-' tion both the hood light and the extension cord and bulb and indicates somewhat diagrammatically the electrical connections of the different parts; and

Fig. 4 is a view of the extension lamp, socket, clamp, and swivel joint taken in a direction at right angles to that shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing more in detail the reference character ll indicates generally the frame of an automobile, I! the engine, and I3 one side of the hood. The device which is the subject of the present invention is shownpositioned slightly below the hood at I4 and is secured to some suitable portion of the car such as the back of the dashboard by means of bolts .or,machine screws II. The device itself comprises a casing ll of generallycylindricalform or of octagonal cross section and is preferably constructed in two halves or portions 11; and 5 I8. The portion ll carries the most of the internal mechanism and is suitably secured to the other portion II which has a projecting flange IS with apertures II therein throughwhich the bolts I 5 pass and by means of which the device" is fastened in place. Either the flange or the bolts musthave contact with andmake'a good electrical connection with some grounded metallic portion of the car. Q

. In the wall of the casing ll, preferably in that wall of portion ll which is farthest from the surface on which thedevice is mounted. there are provided two apertures 2| and 22. Each of these apertures has therein an insulating bushing 23.

fying the connecting plug and socket as well as other parts of the extensiom More generallyit is an object of the invention to provide equipment of the. foregoing characterthatshallbesimpleinconstruction andin- A rectangular plate 24 of insulating material is positioned on the outside of the casing and has two apertures therein in register with the aper-' tures II and I). A similar insulating plate 25 is positioned within the-casing onthe opposite side of the wall and also has two apertures therea 2 m in register with the apertures 2l and 22. Within the casing 16 at the aperture 2| is positioned a stationary switch member 26' in the form of a flat strip 01' resilient material; This switch member is also provided with an aperture in register with the aperture 2|. A movable ,switch member 21 of fiat strip of resilient material havingan aperture therein is, positioned withits aperture in register with the aperture 22 in the casing. A flanged bushing or eyelet 28 is used for holding the parts together at the aperture 2|. In assembling the parts the bushing is inserted, while the parts are in their proper place, through the aperture in the stationary switch member 26, through one of the apertures in the inside insulating plate-25, through the insulating bushing 23 positioned in the aperture 2| in the wall of the casing, and through one of the apertures in the outside insulating plate 24. A washer 29 is'then placed over the eyelet or bushing and theend of the bushing swaged over the'washer to hold the parts rigidly in place. i-A'somewhat similar'flanged bushing or eyelet M,

together with its washer 29, holdsthe movable switch member 21, and the other ends of the two plates 24 and 25 in place. The bushing difiers from the. bushing 29 in that the former has a threaded inside aperture-while the latter is smooth at the other end whereby it may be readily connected with the'.sleeve portion oi-a cord extension. .An enlarged hexagonal portion or nut 32 is either ,iormed integral with the cylindrical portion 3| or is so tightly screwed onto'the 0 portion 3| that it is practically impossible for the two parts to become separated through ordinary use. Aconductor 33 is clamped under the nut'32 and leads to the ungrounded sideoi a battery 34 as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3.

A lamp socket 35 has its shell 30 either integral with or suitably secured, as by brazing or soldering, to the casing-l1 and has a springpressed center contact 31, slidable within andin contact with the bushing 28. A lamp bulb 5o 38 is shown in place in the socket '35.

The operating mechanism for the switch members comprises a longitudinally slidable rod 30. disposed parallel to thegeneral direction of the switch members 26 and 21, extending through apertures in the ends of the casing, a disc or collar 40 of insulating material secured to the rod 39, and a. helical compression spring 4| mounted on the rod between the collar 40 and the end wall of the casing. The upper end oi.

go the movable switch member 21 is provided with an oflsetportion so that when the spring 4| has moved therod 38 and disc 40 upward as far as they will go, which limiting positionmay be determined by the disc 40- striking against the o5 casing or some portion thereof, the disc will press the end of themovable switch member 21 against the end of ,the'stationary switch member 28 and a complete the circuit. The upper end 01' the rod .19 is provided with a button .or knob 42 of some material that is preferably non-metallic and softerthan the end of the rodand also affords an end surface which rubs against the hood of somewhat larger extent than the end of the rod. When the hood I3 is in its lowered position, as

shown in full lines in Fig. 1, it will presstheknob 42 downwardand also move the disc 40 downward and into the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. This permits the movable switch member 21 to move under the action of its own resiliency into the dotted line position and thus break the circuit. When the hood is in its raised position, as shown in dotted lines at |3a in Fig. 1, the spring 4| pushes the disc 40 and rod 39 upwardly so that the disc 40 in passing-alongside of the offset portion of the movable switch member 21 closes the circuit, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, and lights the bulb. It will be seen that by this means the switch is automatically .closed and the bulb lighted whenever the hood is raised andas soon as the hood is lowered'the light is automatically turned oiI.

Whenever it becomes desirable at night time,

particularly on an unlighted highway, to inspect the engine or any part of the mechanism under the hood, the mere raising of the hood enables a person to see the parts well lighted. .Not onlyis the lighting. automatic in operation but be; cause oi. its permanent installation there isno danger of its being misplaced just when most needed as frequently happens with a flashlight.

In case a considerable amount of work is be,-. ingdone on the car with the hood raised either during the daytime or when there is provided other adequateillumination, it is desirable that there be provided means for disconnecting the,

light even though the hood be inits raised position. This means may be in the form of a-loop ported in apertures in the walls of the casing l6. When this loop 42 is turned downward as shown in Fig. 3 the switch is operated automatically as I of stifl' wire 43 having its ends pivotally sup-.

already described; when the [loop is'turned upa ward with its middle portion over the knob 42, as shown in Fig. 2, the switch is locked in its open position irrespective of the position of the hood.

For convenience in examining some part of the mechanism not well lighted by the bulb 38 there may be provided an extension. An insulating member 52 is provided with an opening in which there is positioned a sleeve 44 having an interior diameter equal to the exterior diameter oi the cylindrical portion 3| or the binding post. A single-conductor cord 46 is connectedat one .end to'the sleeve 44 in any suitable manner and is connected at its other end to the center contact of a socket 48. The socket 48 has a bulb 41 positioned therein and at its opposite end isprovided with a bifurcated arm 48. Between the two branches of this bifurcated arm 48 there is positioned a tongue 49 which extends from a spring-retracted connecting clip 50. This clip is shown clamped to a grounded portion 5| of the car which is the normal way of connecting, and

lighting the bulb -41. It will be observed that the electrical circuit for the extension bulb can 7 be traced from the ungro'unded'side of the batconductor extension results in several very. distinct advantages. It is simpler in construction and less expensive to manufacture throughout, the detachable connector especially, and it is also free from all kinds of short circuits within the cord itself no matter how worn it may become.

It is to be understood that the foregoing embodiment of the invention has been selected for purposes of illustration .only and that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A combined hood light and automatic switch comprising a metallic casing adapted to be secured to the grounded frame of an automobile just beneath the hood, an insulating plate secured to said casing, a pair of spaced terminals mounted on said insulating plate, each terminalextending from outside the casing to the inside of the casing, a socket mounted outside of said casing coaxially with one of said terminals with its center contact electrieally connected with the terminal and its shell integral with the casing, switch means for connecting together said terminals positioned within said casing, operating means for said swich means extending outside of said casing and adapted to be positioned-in the path of movement of the hood of the automobile, a screw threaded member for clamping a conductor to the other of said terminals and having integral therewith a pin for connection with the sleeve member of a detachable connector of an extension cord.

2. In a device for automatically lighting the space under the hood of an automobile when the hood is in its raised position, a metallic casing, means for securing said casing to the grounded frame of the automobile just beneath the hood, an insulating strip secured to said casing, a pair of spaced terminals mounted on said strip, a socket having its shell. connected with said casing and having its center contact connected with one of said terminals, means for connecting the other terminal to'the ungrounded side of the lighting battery. of the automobile, means for connecting and disconnecting said terminals positioned within said casing and mounted for reciprocating movement longitudinally thereof and having a portion of said means projecting beyond the casing and into the path of movement of said hood,vresilient means connected with said reciprocating means so as to press said proiecting portion outwardly away from said casing and to move the connecting and disconnecting means into the closed position, and a loop of wire pivotally supported at its two ends in the walls of said casing with its intermediate portion movable into a position over the end of said projecting portion for detachably holding the switch in its openposition.

3. A combined hood light and automatic switch comprising a metallic casing adapted to be sein the path of movement of the hood of the automobile, and a clamping member for attaching a conductor from the ungrounded side of the battery to the other of said terminals, said clamping member having a pin integral therewith for connection with the sleeve member of a detachable connector of a single conductor extension cord.

4. In a device for automatically lighting the space under the hood of an automobile when the hood is in its raised position, a metallic casing,

. means for securing said casing to the grounded frame of the automobile just beneath the hood, a pair of spaced terminals mounted on the inner wall of said casing, a socket having an outer shell connected with said casing and having a center contact connected with one of said terminals, means for connecting the other terminal to the ungrounded side of the lighting battery of the automobile, means for connecting and disconnecting said terminals positioned within said casing and having a portion thereof projecting beyond the casing and into the path of movement of said hood, resilient means connected with said connecting and disconnecting means so as to press said projecting portion outwardly away from said casing and to move the connecting and disconnecting means into the closed position, and a loop of wire pivotally supported at its two ends in the walls of said casing with its intermediate portion movable into a position over the end of said projecting portionfor detachably holding the switch in its open position.

- OSCAR H. UNDERDORFEL. 

